Swimming in jelly: doing interpretive research during the COVID-19 pandemic

This paper presents a reflection and experience conducting an interpretive research project during one of the most challenging times in recent human history, the COVID-19 pandemic. COVID-19 restrictions, such as travel bans and lockdowns, and the subsequent implications have posed significant challenges in performing research activities (Harper et al., 2020; OECD, 2021). It is particularly more difficult for interpretive researchers who work with ground-up methods like interviews or ethnography because of limitations in having direct human interactions. While technologies offer alternatives (OECD, 2021), they could not match the sophistication of face-to-face or fieldwork experience. These issues add to the existing methodological and practical challenges that have been central to the discourse of interpretive methods(see Boswell, Corbett and Rhodes, 2019). Against these surmounting challenges, this paper reflects on a series of methodological and technical issues encountered throughout the journey of conducting interpretive research during the COVID-19 pandemic.

The discussion uncovers a set of additional demands and challenges caused primarily by movement and travel restrictions. With most activities switched to virtual engagement, many experienced longer and more extensive working hours that caused digital fatigue to some. This caused difficulties in recruiting participants for virtual interviews, and even some conversations had to be interrupted, shortened, or conducted during weekends. Not only these challenges alter the quality of empirical evidence, but it also makes the whole interpretive research processes become more practically challenging and psychologically draining. Nevertheless, regardless of swimming-in-jelly experiences, this paper offers some practical insights on how to deal with extended uncertainties and limitations of doing interpretive policy research at times of unprecedented events.